Family and inheritance law

Author: Azur Prnjavorac, Attorney at Law · Last updated: 20 September 2026

Family and inheritance are among the most important parts of our lives, so legal problems in these areas carry a particular emotional weight. Our law office was founded in 1993 and has many years of experience and expertise in family and inheritance law, providing comprehensive legal assistance to clients in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Contact us if you need a family law attorney or an inheritance law attorney, whether you are a citizen of Bosnia and Herzegovina or a foreign national facing legal questions in the country. We approach every case individually, with a high level of professionalism and discretion, aware of how sensitive these legal situations are.

Family law: protecting your family and your rights

Family law covers the legal relations between spouses, parents, children and other members of the family. Our team can provide you with expert assistance and representation in all types of family proceedings, including:

• Divorce: We initiate and conduct divorce proceedings before the competent courts throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina. We help negotiate a divorce by agreement, or represent your interests in litigation where an agreement is not possible. We pay particular attention to protecting the rights and interests of minor children in these proceedings.
• Custody of children and parental rights: We act in disputes in which the court decides to whom the children will be entrusted for care and upbringing after a divorce (custody and care of children). We also provide legal advice and representation in proceedings for child maintenance, so that children receive the financial support prescribed by law.
• Division of marital property: We advise spouses and represent clients in the division of property acquired during the marriage. Whether the division is agreed out of court (for example through a notarised contract) or decided in court proceedings, our task is to protect your property rights and secure a fair distribution.
• Other family law matters: We provide legal assistance and representation in all other questions of family law, such as: removal of parental care (where this is necessary in order to protect the rights of the child), establishing paternity or maternity (proceedings to prove biological parenthood) and deprivation of legal capacity and appointment of a guardian (where an adult, because of illness or for other reasons, is unable to care for themselves and their property). In all of these cases our aim is to protect the rights and interests of our clients and their families, while seeking to resolve disputes efficiently and with as little stress for the parties as possible.

As experienced family law attorneys, we represent clients before all courts in Bosnia and Herzegovina. We try to reach an agreement wherever that is possible, especially where children are involved, but we are equally ready and determined to defend your rights in court where that is necessary.

Inheritance law: security for your estate

Inheritance law governs the distribution of a person’s property among the heirs after death. In these situations it is important to have a reliable legal representative who will make sure that your property and the rights of the heirs are protected in accordance with the law. Our law office offers expert advice and representation in all proceedings in the field of inheritance law, including:

• Probate proceedings: We initiate probate proceedings before the competent court, or before a notary as the court's commissioner, after the loss of a family member. We represent the heirs throughout the whole procedure, from the application for succession to the final decision. We make sure that all statutory heirs exercise their rights and that the estate is divided lawfully and fairly.
• Inheritance disputes: Where a dispute arises between the heirs (for example over the validity of a will, the size of the shares, the existence of forced heirs or hidden debts of the deceased), we provide representation before the court. Our team will analyse all the circumstances in detail, advise you on your rights and on the best legal steps, and represent your interests vigorously so that you obtain what belongs to you under the law.
• Contract of lifetime support: We advise on and draft contracts of lifetime support, which are a common way of disposing of property in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Under such a contract one party (the provider of support) undertakes to maintain and care for the other party until the end of that person’s life and, in return, acquires that person’s property after death. Drafting this contract correctly is essential if it is to be legally valid and if future disputes are to be avoided, and this is where the experience of our office can be of great help to you.
• Advice on wills and estate planning: We provide legal advice on drawing up a will so that your last wishes are clearly expressed and legally sound. We also advise you on intestate succession (where there is no will) and on the rights of forced heirs, so that you have a complete picture of how your property will be distributed. Our aim is to remove ambiguity in advance and reduce the risk of future disputes within your family.

Whether you need an inheritance lawyer to open probate proceedings, representation in a complex inheritance dispute, or expert advice in planning your estate, we are here to give you security and legal support at every step.

International aspects and the expertise of the law office

Modern life often means that members of a family live in different countries or own property abroad. Work on family and inheritance cases very often involves elements of private international law. Our law office has particular expertise in cases with an international element, such as:

• International divorce and custody of children: We have represented many clients in divorce proceedings where the spouses are of different nationalities or live in different countries. Our knowledge of private international law and of international treaties (such as the Hague Conventions on the protection of children, PDF, Bosnian version) allows us to resolve questions of jurisdiction, recognition of foreign court decisions, custody of children and cross-border enforcement of judgments efficiently.
• Succession with an international element: We assist clients whose estate includes property abroad, or where the heirs are located outside Bosnia and Herzegovina. In such situations we guide clients through the recognition of foreign succession decisions, cooperate with foreign notaries and courts, and make sure that our citizens in the diaspora exercise their inheritance rights at home.
• Foreign nationals in Bosnia and Herzegovina: We regularly provide legal assistance to foreign nationals faced with family or inheritance questions in Bosnia and Herzegovina, whether the matter concerns a marriage or divorce involving a citizen of the country, the inheritance of property here, or the need to give legal effect to a foreign court decision. We explain the domestic law clearly to foreign clients and guide them through complex administrative procedures so that they can exercise their rights before the courts of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina, wherever they may be, as well as foreign nationals, can rely on our knowledge and commitment. We are proud to work as attorneys for family and inheritance law with international components, which is confirmed by the trust of a large number of clients from the diaspora who have entrusted their legal problems to us.

Why choose us? Besides expertise and experience, we are marked by an individual approach to every client and an understanding of family circumstances. We treat every case with full attention, preserving the dignity and privacy of our clients. Our aim is to help you exercise your rights and overcome legal challenges, whether through an amicable settlement of the dispute or through the courts.